“Polar Bear” wrestler named Armenia’s best athlete in 2014

Greco-Roman wrestler Artur Alexanyan

has been recognized by journalists as Armenia’s best sportsperson of this year.

The 23-year-old athlete from Gyumri affectionately called Polar Bear by his fans put up a memorable performance at the world championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in September, winning the title.

Alexanyan’s gold was not the only one in those competitions as Arsen Julfalakyan, another Gyumri-born Greco-Roman wrestler, became the world champion two.

The two athletes are ranked first and second in the 10-man list published by the Armenian Federation of Sport Journalists on Thursday. The Armenian Wrestling Team has been recognized as the best team of the year.